1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid toilet bowl cleaning product having a surface erodable cleaning and sanitizing composition. The present invention also relates to a method of using the solid toilet bowl cleaning product by its placement in the overflow tube of a toilet and a toilet bowl cleaning and sanitizing system which includes a device for holding the solid toilet bowl cleaning and sanitizing product.
2. Description of the Related Art
The bowl and rim of toilets are traditionally cleaned either manually by periodically scrubbing with a solid or liquid cleaning agent or automatically after every flush by the use of commercially available tablets or blocks that are dropped into the tank or reservoir of the toilet. Manual scrubbing of the toilet bowl is inconvenient, unpleasant and sometimes messy, particularly if the toilet bowl has not been cleaned for an extended period of time.
While the commercially available drop-in tablets or blocks that are placed in the tank of the toilet act automatically after each flush, and thus are convenient for the consumer to use, these drop-in tablets or blocks have the drawback that their effectiveness is diminished by the manner in which standard toilets operate. The drop-in tablets or blocks placed in the tank release chemicals into the tank water to provide for the toilet bowl cleaning and/or antimicrobial/sanitizing action. When the toilet is flushed, tank water is released into the bowl, such as through port holes in the rim, and causes the level of water in the bowl to rise, which then starts a siphoning action that causes the water and materials in the bowl to be carried away through the trap and down the soil stack. The siphoning action stops when the tank water is fully discharged, and only the water remaining in the siphon is returned to the bowl.
As most of the tank water is flushed down the main drain, only a fraction of the treated tank water remains in the bowl to help in cleaning and sanitizing the toilet bowl. The effectiveness of this method is further reduced because the residues on the walls of the toilet bowl left by the discharging of the treated tank water into the bowl is not allowed to remain on the walls of the bowl, but is quickly rinsed off by the refill water. This refill water is provided directly into the overflow tube and out through port holes in the rim for distribution around the circumference of bowl.
Chang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,755, discloses such a surface erodable, controlled release tablet or block for cleaning a toilet bowl (lavatory) or urinal, and which is placed in the tank (cistern) of the toilet or urinal.
Systems which dispense cleaning chemicals and disinfectants dissolved from solids by the toilet bowl refill water entering the overflow tube are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,346 issued to Jones, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,841 issued to Collins. U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,346 discloses a toilet bowl cleaning composition dispenser which is placed in the overflow tube of a flush toilet and contains a solid cleaning composition. During the flush cycle of the toilet, the water entering the dispenser gradually dissolves the solid cleaner and dispenses a predetermined quantity of an active cleaning solution resulting from the dissolution of the solid cleaner into the toilet bowl.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,841 discloses a toilet disinfecting device which is installed in the overflow tube of a toilet and provided with granular chemicals. The disinfectant or other chemicals are supplied to the toilet bowl after each flushing or refilling operation. This patent to Collins is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,346 to Jones in that the refill water entering the overflow tube is first completely channeled through the dispenser or device which is disposed in the overflow tube and contains the solid chemicals, before being then supplied to the toilet bowl.
However, the size and position of these dispensers or devices in the overflow tube, occupying nearly the entire cross-section of the overflow tube, effectively eliminate the overflow tube from acting to accommodate any potential overflow from the tank, such as from a malfunctioning float/valve assembly. Furthermore, there is no provision for maintaining a substantially constant erodable surface area for the solid cleaner composition, and the prior art compositions are considered ineffective for cleaning and sanitizing toilet bowls.